Napachie Pootoogook at 259 Lake Shore Blvd E

Starting in 1996, Pootoogook began a series of narrated black and white drawings initially depicting her grandfather Namonie’s life on the south Baffin coast. She later expanded the series with her own narratives as well as those relayed to her by her mother, Pitseolak Ashoona. The subjects range from the role and perception of shamans and abuse to gender relations and even murder. Her narrations often differentiate true events from stories. Pootoogook’s series eventually totaled 300 drawings, which she worked on over a period of five years, spurred on by her failing health.

Another series of carefully rendered drawings reveal the intimacies of domestic life. Women breastfeed, chew skins to soften them for hide tents, scrape furs, and darn clothing. In each image, Pootoogook emphasizes the tools for the tasks—needles attached to fine sinew for thread, harpoons and hooks for fishing, and the women’s knife, the ulu, always close at hand. Representations of family life and women are infrequent in Inuit art from this period. This series extends the autobiographical perspective first relayed by the artist’s mother, Pitseolak Ashoona, in her 1970 illustrated book, Pictures Out of My Life, and carried forward by Pootoogook’s daughter, Annie Pootoogook.

This project is made possible with generous support from West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative.